Teacher Leadership

Welcome to UAB where experienced teachers become dynamic leaders and effective change agents through an Educational Specialist (EdS) program in Teacher Leadership. By pursuing this EdS degree, teachers become prepared to serve as professional development facilitators, instructional coaches, lead teachers, department chairs, curriculum coordinators, and program area specialists. This new Teacher Leader Program differs from the already-existing Instructional Leadership Program in that the Teacher Leader program does not lead to employment as an assistant principal, principal, or superintendent.

The EdS program in Teacher Leadership provides teachers with an avenue for career enhancement and advancement. Through this program's standards-based approach, teachers learn state-of-the-art instructional strategies for meeting the evolving needs of diverse learners within today's rapidly changing society. They acquire collaborative skills to serve as reflective practitioners in guiding school change and effectiveness. They also learn mentoring techniques for positively impacting student achievement and school improvement.

At UAB, the Teacher Leader program was designed with an executive delivery model. As such, it is accessible to teachers who live at a distance from UAB and also to those who prefer to take courses in non-traditional delivery formats. Courses are delivered through blended instruction (face-to-face alternating with online) and totally online platforms as well as through professional learning communities.

UAB's 30-hour program contains six 5-hour modules. Each of these modules consists of a 3-hour content course, a 1-hour research course (R), and a 1-hour field experience course (L). Teachers concentrate on one academic focus per term by taking one module at a time. Moreover, by enrolling in 5 graduate credit hours per term, they are eligible for financial aid during each of the program's 6 semesters.

The EdS Teacher Leader program has a rolling admission, and students can start any semester. Its 6-semester rotation of courses is as follows:

Term

Course

Course Title

Fall

EDC 731-R-L

Curricular Design and Implementation

Spring

ECT 720-R-L

Universal Design for Learning

Summer

EPR 700-R-L

Data-Based Decision Making

Fall

EDC 732-R-L

Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Instruction

Spring

EDL 711-R-L

Collaborative Problem Solving

Summer

EDL 735-R-L

Professional Leadership

If you wish to pursue an EdS in Teacher Leadership through an innovative inquiry-based approach, you have come to the right place! We look forward to hearing from you and to helping you reach your goal.